


apples and trees

by lethargicProfessor



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, Howard Stark Not Being an Asshole, Howard Stark's Good Parenting, Kid Fic, Kid Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:21:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25851259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lethargicProfessor/pseuds/lethargicProfessor
Summary: Howard Stark is a creature of habit. Tony changes things.-----In which Howard Stark isn't as much of an asshole as people seem to think he is.
Relationships: Howard Stark & Tony Stark
Comments: 3
Kudos: 143





	apples and trees

Over the years, Howard has become a creature of habit.

Meetings with Peggy every Tuesday and Friday at ten. Two fingers of scotch at bedtime, unless work keeps him up; then it’s three. Half an hour reading the papers at breakfast, three cups of coffee. Little things that he’s become accustomed to over the years.

Tony’s birth changes things, but it’s surprisingly easy to integrate the little boy into his habits. 

Whenever Maria lets him, Tony joins Howard and Peggy for meetings, though he sleeps through them most of the time. Howard takes his scotch beside Tony’s crib, watching him settle into a light sleep after Maria puts him down for bed. Newspapers at breakfast begin to be read aloud, Tony’s babbling keeping Howard company as he takes his decaf instead of the usual.

The older Tony gets, the more Howard has him tagging along. And sure, to some folks -- the ones in the meetings and the ones on the board, maybe having such a young kid around isn’t a great idea, especially in the labs. Maybe Howard should consider taking the kid home? Maybe Howard shouldn’t talk to him like he’s an adult instead of all of four years old?

Howard scoffs and dismisses them, because the people that matter know Tony’s sharper than all of them put together. He’s taken to science like a fish to water, and he knows that every year he’s had Tony in the lab with him is a year that Tony’s absorbed everything and anything, tiny fingers wrapping around wrenches and picking at greasy prototypes while Howard works away. He’s a chip off the old block, and Howard hopes it’s for the better.

Howard works and explains his work, and Tony nods and echoes like he knows what’s going, watching Howard with big eyes before diving into work set aside for him. He likes the feel of metal, Howard’s come to realize, brushing the nuts and bolts and cogs before setting them on the workbench, messy in a way Howard isn’t. It’s alright though, because Howard sees the spark in his eyes as he pokes and prods with a bright red screwdriver, taking things apart like he was born for it.

“Ain’t he supposed to be watching the kid?” Someone will ask, when they think Howard can’t hear them. “Ain’t that dangerous?”

“You know Stark,” someone else will respond, and they’ll share a laugh that grates on his nerves. Of course Howard Stark is nothing more than an irresponsible old man, nothing’s changed in the news or the tabloids over the years. Maybe he was cleared of those charges of treason, and he hasn’t so much as looked at another woman since he married Maria, but folks will think what they want to think about him, just the way they always have.

But at the end of the day it doesn’t matter, because when Tony looks up at him, gear oil coating his arms and his clothes and his fingers, Howard sees a star. He might have started Stark Industries, but Tony? Tony’s gonna carry it to heights he’s only ever dreamed of.

“C’mon, kid,” Howard says, out of habit, and pats Tony’s head. He’s a little awkward as a dad, still adjusting to life with this fresh little human, but Tony grins and grabs his day’s work, and together they head home to show it off.

Tony’s still got a lot to learn, but Howard’s come to realize that he does, too. So even though Tony’s learning from the best, Howard’s not that old that he can’t pick up a few new things along the way.


End file.
